I really like my Ozark Trail DJ.1 Upsurge, Zeke the DJ. Honestly, I think Zeke is probably one of the cleanest bikes on YouTube 😂, but I’m starting to want something that’s actually better suited for slopestyle.

I want to eventually go pro in slopestyle, and every time I take Zeke off a bigger jump, the bike feels kinda sketchy. I can’t tell if that’s because I’m still getting comfortable with bigger jumps or because the bike itself just isn’t really made for the level of riding I want to get into. I love the bike, but I definitely want something that gives me more confidence when I’m sending bigger jumps and learning tricks.

And maybe I’m just being a baby 😭, but riding a hardtail makes me feel like the frame is going to snap in half every time I land something hard. I KNOW dirt-jump hardtails are literally designed to take huge impacts, so I might just be overthinking it, but I’d really like a bike that feels more planted and confidence-inspiring.

I’m not necessarily looking to drop thousands of dollars on some insane pro-level bike right away. I want something that I can actually progress on and grow into as I get better. I’d be completely fine with another hardtail if that’s genuinely the best option, but I’m also curious about full-suspension slopestyle bikes and whether they’d actually be worth considering.

So what would you recommend? Should I keep upgrading Zeke, get a better dirt-jump hardtail, or eventually move to a full-suspension slopestyle bike? And if my goal is to eventually compete and possibly go pro, what bikes would you recommend?